His family acknowledges Martinez had mental health issues, but disputes he was taken to the hospital Monday for that reason.

"He went there because he was having problems breathing. After that, the next call we got was that he had expired, and for a 39-year-old, healthy man to go in to the hospital for a breathing treatment and to come out in a body bag is baffling for me and my family," said Martinez's cousin, Larry Ross.

Pittsburgh police said a campus officer responded when Martinez allegedly began choking a doctor. The officer and hospital security wrestled Martinez to the ground. He lost consciousness while being handcuffed and died a short time later.

"What was told to us by the charge nurse was that he may have had an air pocket in him, and with an air pocket you're gasping for air, and he seen the doctor coming and he reached out to the doctor and he fell with the doctor, that's what was explained to us," said Ross.

Richard said it appears Martinez -- who was 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 350 pounds -- had a heart attack. The official cause of death will not be determined until the autopsy is complete.